Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Botanical Symbolism

The Botanical Symbolism
of
Our Relationship with Christ

His cheeks
are as a bed of spices,
as sweet flowers:
his lips like lilies,
dropping
sweet smelling myrrh.
-Song of Solomon 5:13


This is a picture of how the Bride sees the Bride Groom as He comes to her. The Bride is symbolic of those who belong to Christ and the Bride Groom is symbolic of Jesus.

Note that His lips drop the sweet smelling myrrh.

In the original language the word “smelling” in this instance (#5674 in the Hebrew) gives us a picture of the molecules of scent riding on the air—like the Word that rides on or in the Spirit of God which Jesus likened to the wind:

The wind
bloweth where it listeth
and thou hearest
the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth:
so is every one
that is born of the Spirit.
-John 3:8

“Smelling” is identified with inhaling the Words that come from His lips, which are also carried on the air or on His breath.

My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them,
and they follow me.
-John 10:26-27

The Word itself is the key. In other words God is saying that the true Bride of Christ will be waiting to hear what He has to say. By hearing the Word, the Bride like sheep hearing the Shepherd’s voice carried on the wind, will follow Him.

God is not a God of sensationalism or mysticism, but the God of symbolism.

The priority of Jesus’ ministry was and is two-fold: (1) to preach the Gospel of salvation and (2) to heal the sick.

Healing the sick provides us with a symbol or an illustration of preaching the gospel. Therefore the two must stay together as we minister to others.
It is our need of healing (spiritually, physically, mentally, or emotionally) that compels us to seek our Creator.

We instinctively understand that, since He created us, He knows how to fix us when we are broken and He is the only One who can really direct us step by step to find true healing.

Jesus, Himself, is the Word in the flesh. Because of this, His lips and voice have the ability to infuse us with His powerful Word—this is the same Word or voice that created all things.

Just what are the sweet lips of Jesus dropping? It is myrrh that is being dropped. Therefore we are led to consider what part myrrh plays in this picture.

Since it is being dropped from the lips of Jesus, we must conclude that myrrh symbolizes the Word of God breathed or diffused from the lips of Jesus, the Bride Groom and Shepherd of our heart.

As I read this verse again, I realized that while myrrh is actually a type of frankincense that is spiritually uplifting and is historically and scientifically known for repairing cellular damage, as well as recognized for its anti-infectious, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, hormone-like, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperthyroid, and immune boosting qualities, I tend to avoid using it because of its glue-like consistency.

Myrrh is the only oil I know of that is like cement. Once the bottle is opened, you have to use pliers to open it again. After understanding this verse from the Song of Solomon, myrrh now reminds me of the nature of the Word and how the power of the Word of God is stronger than any other power in the universe.

Recently on Christian television a military veteran, who had been captured and tortured by the enemy, spoke of his experience. His captors played a recording that was repeated over and over and over again. It was a speech they wanted this soldier to deliver against his own country.

The soldier said that the only way he could preserve his sanity and resist the speech was by repeating the Word of God over and over in his mind while the speech was being played.

The Word of God was more powerful than the words of the enemy. Like myrrh, it stuck like glue in the soldier’s mind and actually became a protective shield against their brainwashing program.

As we understand how the various constituents of myrrh and other plant oils work scientifically in the body and how these plants and the oils from these plants were designed by our Creator to help us heal, we will also discover that they will bring us to a greater understanding of how the Word of God can infuse us with the power of God to heal and overcome in every dimension of our life, so we can become the whole person God desires us to be.

Myrrh is an ancient foundational oil that was often blended with other oils and ointments to preserve their purity and prolong the power of their fragrances.

Only the purest oils should ever be used for therapeutic purposes. When essential oils are truly pure, some can also be taken internally. However, not all oils that are advertised today as “pure” are actually pure enough to use. Therefore we must carefully consider this when purchasing essential oils.

Peppermint cools a fever and comforts inflammation. Lavender is often used for burns. Joy blend contains rose oil and brings feelings of joy.

Purification blend is great for diffusing in musty basements and helps to keep bugs away. If we do get bitten by a bug, Purification will help cleanse the bite and promote healing.

Some oils relax the mind and body, help to balance hormones, fight virus and bacteria, while other oils relieve pain, anxiety and stress.

Oils can do amazing things because the same voice of God that created us also carefully created plants and plant oils to be compatible with the human body.

God carefully designed each essential oil to address specific issues in spirit, body, mind, and emotions in order to bring comfort, to safely provide first aid, and help us find harmony with His Word and His will regarding every aspect of our health and healing.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Access Healing through the Power of the Word







~~Psalm 119~~

"O how love I thy law!
It is my meditation 

all the day."
v.97


Why would I love, really l-o-v-e, God's law enough to want to meditate on it all day long?

Let's be honest. Isn't the law, any law, b-o-r-i-n-g?


While I would like to sincerely love His law with all of my heart, I have to
admit that unless I can see some real value in it, meditating on it day and night just isn't going to happen.


This is exactly why the Author inspired the psalmist to reveal the amazing riches found in God's Word and law in the following verse:


Thou through thy commandments
hast made me wiser
than mine enemies:
for they are ever with me.
v.98

Enter serious troublesome illness:

In the Book of Revelation God tells us that the last enemy we will ever have to deal with is death. Illness and death can surely be identified as our enemies. But God is on our side and has provided the solution. We have His assurance in the above verse that His Word and law will make us wiser than our enemies, even though they are ever with us waiting to attack.

So where should we first seek wisdom when the enemy of illness attacks?

Certainly we can collect information about our illness from the writings of the world, but unless we have the wisdom to sort through it all, how can we ever discern what course of action to take? The side effects of some cures can even be worse than the illness and some treatments may be risky experiments without any guarantee of success.

Let us consider something else. If we could actually have an intimate relationship with God through His Word and meditate on it daily, perhaps then we could be wiser than the enemy of illness and avoid it altogether. When we have eyes to see the value of the law of God, we will also be empowered and motivated to act by faith and prepare for attacks by taking preventive measures.

God is a God who believes in preparing. Throughout the Bible we see that He prepared this Earth to be a home for mankind and the animals, He prepared the ark to save Noah and his family, and prepared to save the people of Egypt by instructing the king through a dream interpreted by Joseph to stock up during the years of plenty so they would not perish during the years of famine. God even prepared His people for the coming of their Savior by every Word He sent forth.

Whether we want to avoid the enemy of illness or do battle because it has already launched an attack on us, the wonder-working power and wisdom of God can be found in His Word.

"I am he that liveth, 
and was dead, 
and, behold, 
I am alive forevermore, 
Amen;
and have the keys 
of hell and of death."
-Rev. 1:18

***UPDATE***
To learn more specifics
regarding physical healing 
***CLICK HERE***

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Heart Has a Mind of Its Own--Part 1



The Heart Has a Mind
Of Its Own
by
Kay Frances Graves




Part 1: The Heart of Man and the Heart of God

Introduction

Recently scientists have discovered that even before the brain is formed in the unborn child, the heart is beating with an intelligence of its own. In fact, the heart is wired with a “brain” that is busy sending signals to the rest of the body directing the development and growth of the child in the womb.

The information sent from the heart to the brain can have a profound effect on the various functions of the brain, including its concept of God.  Exactly how the heart influences our spiritual life and connection with God, however, remains a mystery to modern science.

Nevertheless, the Word of God has proclaimed from the beginning that the heart was designed by our Creator to have a mind of its own.

The Heart of Man and the Heart of God

The first mention of the word, “heart,” is found in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 6. Is this just poetic imagery or is God giving us the foundation here for understanding the spiritual function of our heart? Could it be that He is also revealing His own heart to us through this passage?

And God saw
that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth,
and that every imagination
of the thoughts
of his heart

was only evil continually.

And it repented the LORD
that he had made man on the earth,
and it grieved him
at his heart. 

-Genesis 6:5-6

First of all, God is confirming in this passage that we are made in His image. Just as God has a heart, man also has a heart. Throughout the Bible, God instructs us concerning the differences and similarities of our heart and His.

The new scientific discovery regarding the function of the heart verifies that this physical organ has a mind of its own and through the Word of God we realize that it is His intention that we understand and resonate with the way God thinks and feels in His heart.

We also learn in this first passage that it is possible for the heart of man to engage in thoughts and that these thoughts originate in our heart. This passage reveals that during the time of Noah, hearts had become so corrupt; mankind had reached the point of no return. Everyone on the face of the earth actually became incapable of thinking anything good at all—everyone, that is, except Noah and his family.

God has a pure and holy heart filled with perfect love. When His creation becomes corrupt and His intention for mankind is spoiled, God grieves in His heart. Grieving suggests mourning a loss, which is very fitting in these verses.

God deserved to have men glorify Him with the lives they lived. He created them to love Him and enjoy Him forever. God did not design humans to be robots and He was not going to force His creation to love Him. He wanted to experience receiving their love and allowing them to be blessed through their experience of loving Him.

So humans were given the freedom to choose. Unfortunately almost everyone in those days chose to follow their corrupt hearts and turn against the love and blessings of God.

Though men were made in the image of God, they did not desire to walk in the likeness of God. Instead, His created beings trampled the gift of their Maker, chose to go their own way, and rejected the image they were created to bear.

Man was so wonderfully and lovingly fabricated by the hand of God. Man had so much potential. What a waste! What rejection of God and the blessings He had desired to bestow upon His people!

When we read this passage, do we feel God’s loss and the rejection He experienced?

Do we sympathize and empathize with Him?

If so, we are beginning to line our heart up with God’s heart and like the children we were created to be, are attempting to walk in His shoes. Our ability to feel God’s pain is the first step in learning to love Him and understand His love for us.

The world labels those who are unable to feel the pain of others as “sociopaths.” They are people without a conscience. They don't have the natural affection or empathy the rest of us take for granted. They don't feel affection. They don't care about others.

However, most of them are good observers, and they have learned how to mimic feelings of affection and empathy remarkably well so are often difficult to detect.

The world says that such people are incurable, but all things are possible with God. If you know of someone like this, do not be caught in their trap by your good intentions. Nevertheless, pray for them, but at the same time guard your heart with all diligence when dealing with them.

If you should recognize somehow, by the grace of God, that you are a person who is having difficulty empathizing with others, pray for God to help you and to save you from yourself and your own path of eternal destruction. Ask Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to help you trust Him with your life and pray that He will give you a new heart.

Without the heart’s capacity to feel and to identify with God’s thoughts and feelings, it is impossible to have the type of belief in God that will result in eternal life. We must realize that we love Him because He first loved us and that He had, and still has, a wonderful plan for our lives.

There isn't anything we can do to earn this relationship with Him. The love we have for Him, isn't really even a choice we make, it is a response our heart makes because our heart somehow understands what He has done for us. Even this ability to understand and respond is a gift from God and is totally a result of His grace working in us.   
 
                      To receive this free gift
                               of eternal life,
                   scroll to the top of this page,
                              click on the gift
                    wrapped in gold on the left,
                         follow the instructions
                           with a sincere heart
                                        AND
                               . . .Be ready. . .
                     . . .Jesus is coming soon. . .
                         . . .and very soon ! . . .